Puncture-proof inner lining for pneumatic tires.



W. A. RAY.

PUNGTURE PROOF INNER LINING FOR PNBUMATIC TIRES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27, 1912.

Patented May 26, 1914.

wiftucoow WILLIAM A. RAY, F JCKSON, OHIO.

PUNCTURE-PROOF INNER LINING FOR PNEUMATIC TIRES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed May 27, 1912.

Serial No. 699,997.

To all whom 'it concern.' l Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. RAY, "a

citizen of ythe United States, residing at Jackson, in the county ofJackson and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovementsin Puncture-Proof Inner Linings for Pneumatic Tires; and Ido de- 'clare the following to be a full', clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in puncture proof inner liningsfor pneumatic y tires.

One object of the invention is to provide a lining of this characterwhich will positively protect the inner tube of the tire from injurywithout aecting the resiliency of the tire and'which will automaticallyexpand under pressure from the inner tube when inflated, and contractunder pressure brought to bear on the outer tube or casing 'fromtheweight of a vehicle.

`Another object is to provide an inner lining of this character which isof substantially double arch construction thereby possessing greatstrength and power to resist undue pressure from Within or without.

A further object is to provide a lining for neumatic tires which will besimple, dura le and inexpensive in construction, light in weight, easyto manufacture, efficient and reliable in operation and whichV may bereadily inserted in and ,removed from the outer tube or casing of thetire.

i With these and other objects in view, the Iinvention consists ofcertain novel features of construction, and the combination andarrangement of parts as will be more fully described andl claimed.-

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 'is a longitudinal section of apneumatic tire having my improved lining applied thereto; Fig. 2 is across section of the same; Fig. 3 is a side view of thev lining removedfrom the tire; Fig. 4 is a cross section of the same.

My improved tire lining comprises an outer member 1 and an inner member2, each of which is a split ring Whose ends come nearly but not quiteinto contact with each other. The inner member is arranged in said outerinember in such position that said members will break joint that is tosav, the splits or open space between the ends of one of said membersWill be covered by the body of the 'other 'mnberpas cle'arly"'shown inFig. 3 of the drawings.

The members l and 2 of my improved lin.

ing. a-re preferably formed of galvanized spring steel plates, bent by asuitable press or dies .to conform-substantially to the cross sectionalshape of the outer tire or casing 3 with which they are to be employed.The transverse diameter' Vand the longitudinal diameter of the innermember of the lining is slightly less than that of the outer member sothat said inner member will readilv fit within the outer member asshown. The members `l and 2 are of substantially circular shape and theends of the same terminate a sufficient distance apart .to permit themembers to contract under pressure applied to the outer tube or casing,so that the resiliency or spring action of the tire is no t interferedwith.

The width ofthe *members l and 2 is such that saidmembers extend abouttwo-thirds .of the distance around the inner tube 4,

will be noted that the edges 5 of the inner,

member project a slight distance beyond theedges 6 of the outer` memberso that the several edges will bear against the curved inner surface ofthe outer tube or casing 3 at various points as seen in Fig. 2. When nowpressure is thrown onto the tread of the wheel the ring-shaped membersare compressed so that they are reduced slightly, both longitudinallyand transversely. The ends Yof the inner member 2 where it is splitapproach each other and slide inside the outer member 1 and outside thetube 4:, while the ends of the outer member 1 also approach each otherand slide outside the inner member 2 and inside the casing 3.Transversely the reduction in size occurs only at a point oppositeithetread of the wheel, and in doing so the edges 6 of the outer member 1slide toward the rim between the inner member`2 and the casing 3, andthe edges 5 of the inner member 2 slide toward said rim between thecasing andthe tube. During this action the resiliency or expansivetendency of the steel rings causes their ends and edges to bear againstthe members next outside them with more force than against the membersnext inside of Patented May 26, i914.

them, and this tendency is enhanced by the air pressure within the tubewhich pressure is of course increased by the weight of the load. Theresult is that the wear upon the casing is very little and that upon thetube is extremely little, practically nothing.

In inserting a liner of this character in an ordinary automobile tire,the liner is first placed within the casing, then the tubeiis placedwithin the liner and the whole put on the wheel, and finally the tube is`inflated as usual. The exact manner in which the liner is put into thecasing will depend to an extent upon the size of the wheel, thethickness and width of the members 1 and 2, and the strength of theoperator or the tools employed by him if any. He may open out thecasing, compress the outer member slightly both longitudinally andlaterally, and slip it into the casing; subsequently compressing theinner member longitudinally and laterally and inserting it into theouter member. Or he may first put the inner member into the outer andthen compress them both and put them into the casing. I would prefer therst-named process. It is obvious that this liner can be employed withalmost any type of automobile tire, and if made in proper sizes to fitthe various sizes of tires the splits between the ends of the rings ormembers 1 and 2 will automatically open only to about the extentillustrated in Fig. 3. While this view shows said splits asdiametrically o posite, it is onlyV desirable that they be out ofregister s0 as to b reak joint with each other as above described.

. By constructing the lining in two sections arranged one within theother as herein shown and described a practically double arched armor isprovided which will eiectually resist undue ressure or strain which maybe brought against the same and except for the two short spaces betweenthe ends of the members a double sheet metalprotection is afforded tothe inner tube which j may turn any pins or tacks, nails or similarobjects which may puncture or pass through the outer tube or casingthereby preventing such objects from penetrating or injuring the innertube.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the construction and operationof the invention will be readilyunderstood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is;

1. The herein described -liner for pneumatic tires, the same comprisinga metallic split ring of arched cross section disposed between thecasing and tube and of a size to have its ends out of contact when thetube is inflated, and asecond similar and slightly smaller split ringdisposed next inside the first-mentioned ring and with its split out ofregister with that in the same.

2. The herein described liner for pneumatic tires, the same comprising asplit ring of resilient strip metal having its ends out of contact witheach other, the strip being curved transversely into approximatelysemi-circular form; and a second similar and slightly smaller split ringslidabl mounted within the first-named ring wit its split breaking jointwith the split therein, said second strip being also curved'transversely but of slightly greater width than the first-named stripso that its edges project beyond the same, the whole for insertionbetween the tire casing and tube.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto s et my hand in presence of twosubscribing wltnesses.

WILLIAM A. RAY.

Witnesses HUGH B. SULLIVAN W. E. PATTEN.

